Trendwatch | Rise of the Luxury SUV

Everyone seems to be launching a new SUV right now - even Lamborghini.
It seems there's gold in them SUV hills. Just ask Porsche whose Cayenne truckster now accounts for an astonishing 50% of global sales.

No wonder Bentley, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and, this week, Lamborghini have all laid down their plans for their own take on the luxury SUV.

The common theme for all of them is their relentless use of words like 'diversification' and Lambo are no different with this, the Urus, the first ever Lamborghini designed for everyday use.

“The Urus is a very concrete idea for the future of Lamborghini – as a third model line and as the perfect complement to our super sports cars,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “SUVs stand for freedom and emotion. SUVs make up one of the most successful market segments worldwide. The Urus is the most extreme interpretation of the SUV idea; it is the Lamborghini of the SUVs.”

Hallmarks of the Urus include a lightweight carbon-fibre body, predictably high performance from a 600hp engine and less predictably, promised market-leading emission stats.

It's a concept for now of course (these air-brushed images kind of give that away) but the Bologna marque have already hinted they're expecting to sell as many as 3,000 units a year. The real thing may be years off but we bet the waiting list is already getting long.

Three more SUVS coming your way

The word ‘Kubang’ may not sound graceful enough to be a Maserati model but this is an SUV we’re talking about. Maserati promise that "style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance will all be 100% Maserati in picture-perfect continuity with the brand's core values of sportiness, style, elegance, luxury, performance and craftsmanship." So we’re expecting a lot.

The Alfa Romeo 149 SUV is still under wraps but looks to be based on the Giulieta’s body and will be built in the US.

The catchily-named Bentley EXP-F9 is due in 2015. Reception has been mixed so far but Bentley has hinted that the looks will change before final production.

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